Miss. to Free Up Money for Black Colleges

Mississippi lawmakers agreed to free up $7.2 million for two historically black universities, money frozen more than two years ago in a long-running desegregation case.

If the governor signs the bill, which the Senate approved Thursday, the money will be split between Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State universities for upgrading academic programs.

The funds were frozen in 2000 by a federal judge who said the schools hadn't followed his orders designed to attract significant numbers of white students.

The judge in February allowed the money to go through when he approved a $503 million settlement by the two main parties in the case, but the rest of the money remains tied up in appeals by other plaintiffs.

"This is a piece of the settlement money," assistant higher education commissioner Pam Smith said. "In taking action on this, the Legislature is making good on the settlement even before the appeal is completed."

Smith said the newly freed money will be used to improve Alcorn's nursing, teacher education, math and sciences and computer science programs at Alcorn, which has 3,100 students. At Mississippi Valley, with 3,500 students, the money will be spent on biology, chemistry, computer science, math and special education programs.

The case originated in 1975, when the late Jake Ayers Sr. sued the state, claiming that Mississippi had neglected its black universities for decades and demanding that they receive more money to end discrimination. In 1992, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed and ordered remedies.

U.S. District Judge Neal Biggers ordered funds frozen for Alcorn and Mississippi Valley, while allowing money to go to Mississippi's other traditionally black university, Jackson State. Student bodies at each school remain above 90 percent black.

Last January, the Legislature pledged to fund the bulk of the settlement, which provides $503 million over 17 years, and the judge signed it the following month.

About half the money is earmarked for academic programs, with the remaining amount going toward endowments, capital improvements and other programs, such as remedial summer classes.

"Since we got the settlement approved by the judge and he got a clear sense of how the money will be spent, it was time to ask the Legislature to act on this right away so the schools can use the money this year," Smith said.

Only Republican Sen. Mike Chaney voted against the bill. The House approved it unanimously last week.

The settlement is being challenged in federal appeals court in New Orleans by Ayers' widow and some professors and alumni, who say the settlement is unfair and far short of what Jake Ayers desired.